Gaia's Children
by FireIdar
Summary: When Cloud gives in to his darkness and breaks up with Tifa in the cruelest way possible, Tifa finds true love and family in the most unexpected source. Multiples, Cloud\Yuffie bashing, short story, I don't own or make money from Final Fantasy VII, credit goes to the true owners!
1. Chapter 1

This story contains more than one partner guys and heavy Cloud\Yuffie bashing. If you're a Cloud lover, don't read!

Gaia's Children

Tifa groaned, they were going to kill her if they didn't stop, but since they had found her they had barely stopped to eat or sleep.

It had all started, oh, five days ago, when she had had a fight with Cloud and gone to visit Aeris' church in tears, well, a fight wasn't exactly accurate, massive blow-out more like. With the end of the three clones and DeepGround plus Cloud's return to normal society, Tifa thought they would have reestablished their relationship.

And so they did, until one day Tifa coped him in bed-with Yuffie of all people.

When she confronted him, asking why when they were together, he laughed in her face "what, you think I'm going to live the rest of my life in a dingy room above your bar!?" He pulled Yuffie up to his side posssessively and grinned "Yuffie can give me stability, a future."

"What sort of life, You're not Wutain, her father won't let you marry."

"I'm the savior of Gaia, I saved this piteous planet more than once. Who wouldn't want the savior for a son-in-law."

"What so we're just..."

"Fuck buddies. What you think I love you, please" he snorted "I HATE you. You made the mistake of helping me get my memories back. I remembered how you were always such a bitch to me when we were children, how you turned the village against me for something not my fault. There is no way IN HELL I could even care about you for that."

"What so you've just been stringing me on, using me."

Cloud's grin widened.

Tifa fought to hold the tears back as she spoke "Zack would be so sickened by you, what you've become."

Cloud snorted "I'm living the life Zack always wanted, just like he told me too."

Tifa was so disgusted by him "get out, take your property, your ugly bike and your slut and never set foot in Midgar again."

"Gladly" he guided Yuffie away with him to his room.

But before they left, to rub it in her face, the two had sex again one more time in his room, LOUDLY, before making a production of smugly leaving.

The last Tifa saw and heard of them, they were speeding away laughing on Fenrir.

Instead of opening the bar like she normally would, Tifa went upstairs to cry herself exhausted then dropped off to sleep. She woke up in time to meet the kids-returning from their lessons-and woodenly told them she was just going to visit with Aeris before leaving to their solemn knowing faces.

The fact the two knew or could at least guess only made this harder.

By the time she reached the ruined church and the spring there she was running on empty emotionally and physically.

The old building had always left Tifa with a sense of safety and serenity, but now it did little to lift her spirits or her heart. She tried to ignore the slight masculine scent of Cloud and the evidence of his once-campsite there and collapsed to her knees beside the side of the spring, the last traces of her tears running down her face, to drip into the still water there.

"Why?" she whispered to the reflective water "why did you do that to me, Cloud? I thought you loved me, I thought we'd be together. I thought you knew I loved you and had since the moment I first saw you when we were children."

"You were right, brother, she is perfect."

Tifa spun to find three figures behind her, both familiar "YOU!" she tensed, ready to fight.

The youngest held his hands up in an warding gesture "wait! We're not here to fight. In fact we no longer want to hurt anyone!" He then muttered angrily "except maybe Cloud."

"What do you mean?" she froze but didn't relax.

"We're free of the madness from before, the madness that infected our brother. Will you allow us to explain? We only want to talk to you."

"Talk" she said. When he motioned her to sit down on the nearby pew she didn't react. He motioned again "please, it's long."

Reluctantly she sat, the three sitting opposite her, the oldest grinning dumbly at her until the middle one slapped him playfully "stop that, you're scaring her." The childish frown reminded Tifa so much of Denzel when he didn't understand what he did wrong.

The youngest spoke almost immediately "Jenovah wasn't always evil, in fact she isn't now."

Tifa snorted "yeah, right."

"She wasn't some world devouring criminal from another planet. She was the spirit and life of another world, just like the lifestream. Her planet was destroyed and she ended up on an chunk of it thrown to this one. Because this world already had a spirit the lifestream took it as a type of invasion, setting her warriors-the Cetra-onto it and her for no real reason. It wasn't her fault her chunk of world landed here and she just wanted to live."

"The Cetra locked her into the body of a cursed Cetra and then trapped her in what we now call The Crator, can you imagine hundreds of years locked inside the body of a human, a human full of hate and jealousy and all other human emotions, how do you THINK she would turn out?" The middle one said.

"So you're saying Jenovah was just like Gaia until her world was destroyed and she was tainted by human emotions?"

"Not just those of the Cetra she possessed. Next comes Hojo and his experiments, his lies. When did that bastard ever tell the truth? He manipulated everyone, even long after his death, you know that."

Tifa had to reluctantly agree with that.

"And think about it" the middle one added "all that genetic material and such used to create Sephiroth and us was that cursed Cetra, NOT mother. She was nothing but a spirit trapped inside a body."

"When Sephiroth died, not only did that cetra's soul and genetics return to the lifestream, contaminated as it was, but mother was freed. The Stigmata was the lifestream's attempt to wipe that cetra's genetics from the face of the planet. The lifestream merged with mother's true spirit, not only becoming one with her, but making Gaia something new, something pure. With her consent Mother was able to return us here, clearing us of the taint of that cetra and gifting us with her love and a new purpose. We are no longer Sephiroth's remnants, we are Mother Gaia's children."

The three together leaned into the nearby sunlight coming through a broken window, revealing their true looks to her for the first time.

While all three still bore their original features, their eyes, hair, skin and clothes had changed. Instead of black leather they wore cool colors of blue, white and brown, somehow making Tifa think of earth, sky and snow. Their once silver hair was a pale yellow, reminding her of sand. Their eyes were still the green of before, except it was darker, reminding her of grass. Their skin colour had darkened slightly and she was surprised and awed by the thin treads of pale green snaking along their bodies under the skin, the brightness reminding her of the color of mako-or rather the lifestream itself.

Almost like their veins were filled with mako instead of blood and she saw it in areas because their veins were closer to the surface in those places. Oddly the sight of those lines along the skin of their cheeks and from the ears up to the temples only made them more fascinating, and attractive.

They looked just like they claimed, children of the lifestream mixed with Jenovah.

It wasn't just their looks, they eluded love and safety, something she hungered for right now.

"Wh...what is your new purpose?" she asked them.

"I'll show you" The youngest leaned forward to her, mouth pressing to hers as he pushed her back gently against the pew. His hands went under her blouse, fondling her breasts and gently tugging on her nipples.

Tifa's breath caught in her throat. Helpless against the feelings surrounding her she kissed back.

Sensing movement she felt hands gently ease her skirt up and pull her pants down, gasping as a pair of lips and a tongue touched her in her most sensitive place while another pair pulled her legs apart wide, removing her shoes and socks and started to lick her ankles.

She never knew such areas as her ankles could cause her such pleasure.

The three worked on her and before she knew it the four of them were naked and while they worked on her she could feel two fingers probing her, moving back and forth, making her moan loudly and gasp, rolling her head in pure uncontrollable lust and pleasure.

The three helplessly brought her body to orgasm, crying out as she twisted and writhed, the pleasure going on and on. And when her orgasm ran down they kept it up, bring her to orgasm after orgasm as she writhed under their control of her body. Finally she cried out, grabbing the youngest's arm tightly and pulling him to her face "please, please I can't take anymore, please, I want to...please."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Please, gods yes, fill me." she let her hand move down to between her legs and widened her legs invitingly.

The youngest moved around to lay on top of her, one hand stroking her breasts while the other gripped himself. Slowly and with great care he pressed himself to her wet opening and with one forward thrust he was inside her. She cried out at the feel of him stretching her out and filling her to bursting. The youngest moans and shudders before he locks mouths with her. As his tongue wanders into her mouth he begins to move inside her, filling and stretching her out each time he pushed in.

Hooking her legs around his hips, Tifa used her feet to pull him in deeper, moaning and every time his mouth left hers she would moan out "that's it, oh gods, so good, so deep, please, take me, love me."

"I do" he grunted with a deep thrust "we all do and when we fill you with our seed no one will ever have you again, you will belong solely to us."

A little voice in Tifa's head asked "what does that mean?" but it was drowned out by the pleasure and the thickness inside her. He began to speed up as his pleasure increased, pushing inside her, pushing her further and further into bliss until with a cry of "Nrgghh!" he had pushed inside one more time and filled her with thick white tainted with green.

After a brief rest he pulled away, Tifa moaning her protest, only for another shape to take his place. With a moan the middle filled her, moaning and kissing her with more fire than his brother. Tifa moaned at the change of pace, the speed and strength more than his brother, bringing her perilously close to her peak before he also filled her and left.

Someone with big hands gently turned her onto her stomach, hiking her ass high so someone could fill her from behind, crying out as his huge thickness spread her out almost painfully, but the almost violent pounds inside her pushed her closer to her peak than his brothers.

When he too filled her, the youngest was there again, his desire returned and slidding deep.

For hours or even days it seemed there was a steady stream of pleasure and kisses, so many she lost track of time and not a minute went by when her body wasn't filled. Funnily enough her body never felt raw or got sore and she always hovered on the brink of unconsciousness as the three continued deep inside her, but it was always an orgasmic blissful type of unconscious.

Finally she was rewarded with a break and allowed herself to fall asleep.

***************************Chapter Break********************************


	2. Chapter 2

When she woke fully for the first time afterwards it was to a clouded memory of awakening partially numerous times before to be fed water and delicious fresh ripe fruit and concerned voices.

Now she took stock of her body carefully. She was wrapped warmly in some kind of fur, bundled up like a cocoon. She was sitting up on something firm but warm with something the same wrapped around her shoulders and against her left side.

She felt safe, protected and most of all, loved.

When she moved her head slightly the soothing sound of a regular thumping beat came to her ear, resonating through her entire body and not only soothing but relaxing her even more so she almost fell asleep again.

It wasn't until the knowledge of what that beat actually was occurred to her that she roused herself enough to open her eyes and look.

She was seated in the eldest lap, wrapped in a think fur, one of his arms around her shoulders, the other around her waist, yet she didn't feel trapped or cornered, quite the contrary, she felt protected, like he was shielding her.

He smiled down gently into her face and she couldn't help but smile back as he asked softly "how are you feeling?" concern for her wellbeing in his voice.

She just smiled back and pushed closer and deeper into him, her head under his chin. Even as a small child in her father's arms and lap she hadn't felt this good, this safe, loved and protected. How had this started? They were once enemies, how could they love her so utterly? There was no way this was fake, these men couldn't fake this.

She must have spoken out loud because the eldest spoke to her "I don't know about my brothers but mine was the moment you faced me in that building. I remember you putting on your gloves with such a look of determination and strength that I respected you. As the fight went on my respect grew. Even then, maddened by the Cetra, I knew you were the one for me, for US. It's why I left you alive afterwards."

She looked up at him "but wasn't that because of Marelene's distraction and Clouds..." she choked on his name, but curiously it didn't hurt as much as before "...materia stash?"

He shook his head "it would have taken no time at all to end you then, even with all that AND my brothers calling me back. A quick shot to the head, a thrust of a sword through the heart and barely seconds gone by. But I LIKED you, respected you" he lowered his head but before he did Tifa saw the dusting of red on his face and cheeks as he mumbled "I wanted to see you again, perhaps outside my brothers."

Tifa smiled at this bashful admittance, he was so cute embarrassed like this "so you suggested me to your brothers upon your return. What was their opinion, or did you talk them into it?"

"They said they liked you too, just not as strongly as me. I told them all about the fight and they remembered you from later on and said we'd watch you for a while, just to see if you were 'worthy', but I knew you were. When they saw how mean brother Cloud was to you, sneaking behind your back like that, they began to watch you as a person. They began to respected you too. When we heard the fight and saw you come out so heart broken, Yazoo was afraid you'd do something bad, so said we had to tell you how we felt so you knew you were loved before you decided to do something bad."

She smiled gently at him "like kill myself?" He shrugged "I told them you wouldn't do such a thing to yourself, you loved life too much, had struggled to survive and make a better life for yourself and others too long, but they thought you were too upset and might do something bad in your pain" he frowned down at her "you won't hurt yourself will you? I know you...cared for him, but can't we be enough? Can't our love be enough? I know we aren't childhood friends or crushes, but can't we be there for you? Please?"

Tifa looked at him in the eyes and face, scrutinizing him, the level of his sincerity and honesty. He blinked at her, almost startled by the level of her solemn attention and scrutiny, before after a few long minutes he looked down, breaking eye contact.

Instead of taking this as a sign of dishonesty from the eldest, Tifa slowly smiled when she saw it for what it was, shyness. He was bold enough to tell her all this because he knew she needed to know, both for her heart and peace-of-mind, to keep her with them, not as their girlfriend but alive.

She needed to know someone really did love her. But when attention shifted to him-or more importantly his FEELINGS-he became shy and uncertain, like a bumbling teenager on his first date.

Because really that's what he was.

She smiled at him, thinking his reaction as cute, and leaned over, guiding his head gently up with a firm hand then leaned up to kiss him softly on the mouth. He reacted as if startled but began to kiss back, his arms tightening around her marginally.

She didn't know if she loved him or his 'brother's' yet, but all they had given her and obviously cared about HER enough to give her what she so needed it calmed her soul and gave her heart peace and she could probably start to love them for just that.

True love would come later, she was sure.

When she drew back slightly he let her go reluctantly and Tifa laughed a little at his reluctant look. Before he could think she was mocking him she turned an arm loose and reached up to gently touch the same spot her lips had been as if sealing a promise.

His delighted smile showed he understood it's meaning.

She pulled back from him slightly, enough to give her new surroundings a good look-over.

"Where are we?"

The two of them sat on a huge bed in a nicely sized and decorated room, wardrobe, bedside tables with candles on them and a chair with a small but packed bookcase, a closed door opposite them at the other side of the room. Actually, now that Tifa looked there was TWO doors, both opposite sides of the room, one open and she could see a bathroom inside.

The walls were wood, their pattern and the rooms design reminding her of a cabin. It looked hand made. The wooden logs in the walls bore a plant growing up and through it like an ivy, but the stems were an pale green while the leaves were dark green and shiny. It made the walls almost look natural-either that or like it USED to be a cabin, But nature was reclaiming it.

While she continued to look around her the eldest spoke "this is our home, we made it as soon as we returned with you in mind."

"What do you mean?"

"We created this place with mother's help and we designed it for you, with the hopes you would love it and stay here with us, as our lover-and more. We wanted a warm home, something yours, different from a dingy room above a bar" he blushed and mumbled "a place to raise a family. With us."

Before Tifa could speak her eyes followed the ivy to the ceiling, and her breath caught in her throat, all other thoughts wiped away at the sheer beauty.

Not an inch of the surface was visible. Instead she saw nothing but a 'carpet' of thousands of tiny white flowers interspersed by those dark green leaves so there was a beautiful soothing pattern of white and green, each flower baring a tiny black center.

She had wondered upon awakening where that suttle but fresh sent came from.

Each flower was open and facing down to her as if it didn't care it was upside down and was stretching towards the sun, towards her.

Or HIM.

But how? Why?

"Do you like it?" he asked shyly and there was something in his voice and words...

She spun in his lap to look at him fully "YOU did this?!" When he nodded shyly she asked "but...how?"

"When mother sent us back, she not only changed our appearance she gave us...gifts to replace those taken with the cetra's madness." He reached out to the ivy on the wall beside him, brushing his finger over it.

The plant moved and as Tifa watched a small white blossom grew out and opened to them. Deft fingers plucked the bloom from it, handed it to her before the same finger stroked the plants open wound.

Under his second stroke the 'wound' closed and healed.

Awed Tifa held the bloom to her and sniffed it, seeing the slight pain on his face from either hurting the plant or feeling its actual pain she leaned up and kissed him softly, slowly.

He had done this for her, made her a living tapestry of flowers and even hurt himself to make her happy.

She was starting to believe they truly loved her.

After the kiss they just sat there together for a while, content with their time alone before she asked hesitantly "where are your brothers?"

"Yazoo went to work and will get food and drink on the way home, Kadaj went to check on the children, he said he knew you'd be worried about them when you woke up."

Tifa frowned, so many things in that sentence confused her "Work?"

The eldest grinned "Yazoo and I work, have jobs. He may not look like much but Yazoo is an excellent cook, many restaurants make demands for his service. He can do things with herbs and vegetables you wouldn't believe. As for me..." he blushed and mumbled something.

"What?"

Apparently he worked in a home for the elderly. He could lift and carry the elderly with gentle care the owners appreciated and the elderly seemed drawn to him, many treating him as a precious grandchild, although the owners appreciated that he never took advantage of them.

To Tifa it was obvious why. He had a child-like quality to him that anyone would be drawn too.

He reminded her a lot of an combination of both Denzel and Marelene, the gentle love and strength of Marelene but the boyish charm of Denzel.

"What about Kadaj? Does he work?"

Apparently the youngest worked part-time with children. He was so gentle with them and skilled many families called on him for babysitting after hours. He seemed to sooth them, calming a lot of the hyperactive ones down and they seemed to willingly do homework or go to bed, as long as he paid attention to them.

When he wasn't working with kids he was using his gifts from Mother Gaia to help others.

"And what is that?"

Mother Gaia had taken the mad cetra out of them, but given them the gifts of a cetra.

Kadaj could talk to all Gaia's creatures, humans, animals, summons, even monsters, he had persuaded some in nearby farm areas to stop attacking the humans or animals. Some even guarded this home.

Yazoo could cure sickness and heal, both humans and animal life, without the use of materia, potions or phoenix down, just by a simple touch of his hands on them. He could also dull pain and sometimes bring someone back, depending on certain factors.

Tifa thought it explained what had happened with the four of them, she had wondered why she had never got sore or hurt, as long as the middle one had touched her, she was fine. She dimly remembered his fingers on her foot and kisses on her ankles.

That explained it "what about you?"

HE could heal and stimulate the earth and communicate with plant life. When she asked what he meant by heal and stimulate the earth, he explained. He could walk through a desolate wasteland of dead contaminated earth and the area around him would slowly clear. Plants would spring up under his feet, spreading out around him like a carpet. Trees would heal and start to grow from ugly skeletons to full of leaves and fruit and life.

As if to prove it, he ran a finger over the outside of the blossom she held. The wilting flower seemed to perk up, the delicate petals fully opening in his direction it even seemed brighter and more vibrant.

Tifa smiled at it, at HIM. Could she be happy, truly happy living with these three men in her life and as a homemaker? Give up the bar and move into a home with more than one man and pop out babies?

Before she could speak or even continue her train of thought there came the sound of opening and closing doors and an excited voice called "we're back!"

"In here" he called back, Tifa heard two sets of footsteps, one fast and one casual and the door was flung open to...

"Tifa!" her arms were soon filled with a brown haired child, clutching her close and sobbing in relief "I'd thought you'd never wake up!"

"Denzel?" she questioned in shock, hugging him back. She had never expected HIM to be here.

He nodded against he and held her tighter, apologizing for never telling her about Cloud and Yuffie, for his so-called adopted father's treatment of her, for not being there earlier.

Tifa murmured assurances back, comforting him as well as herself. When she pulled back slightly to look him in the face, he quickly looked away.

But not quick enough for Tifa not to see what was on his face.

"Denzel" she immediately seized his attention, grasping his chin firmly to guide it back. There across his cheek was a black mark, a bruise. "Denzel, who did this to you" when he didn't answer, just looked away, her eyes slid to the figure in the doorway "Kadaj?"

Immediately his eyes swung back and the boy protested "Kada didn't do it Tifa! He's done nothing wrong! He plays with me, pays attention to me! I've even got my own room!" He started getting excited "you should see it, it's so COOL! I have my own bed, and toys and desk and chair to study on and he even helps me with my homework! The other kids in class are so jealous, they think he's my dad and he's so cool!"

Tifa calmed him down "I'm sure it's great, Denzel and I'll come look later. I wasn't blaming Kadaj for it, I just wanted him to tell me what you wouldn't. I thought he would if you wouldn't."

"Cloud" both males said at the same time, the child's eyes sliding away again. Tifa froze, her grip still firm on the boy. "What about him."

"He is the one who hurt Denzel" Kadaj said "that's why I brought him here. He has no right to him after he layed a hand on him like that, but you do. He's your son wether you birthed him or not. Meaning through you he's ours too." Denzel beamed at him at this.

Tifa blinked at the boy, didn't he recognize him as the one who had controlled him before? If so, why was he trusting him now?

Turning back to the subject at hand she looked firmly at the boy "what happened? Why did he...hit you?!"

Denzel looked like he was about to cry, so Kadaj climbed onto the bed with them, arms joining hers around him, Loz stroking his hair soothingly.

Surrounded by comfort and safety the boy spoke "he came back just after you left. He said it was my fault you found out about him and Yuffie, that if I hadn't of forgot my school books you wouldn't have come back and found them together. He said it was MY fault he was thrown out and that we were no longer a family, that just because you coddle me, doesn't mean I'm anything special. HE found me, so he could do anything to me because no one gives a shit about an orphan like me" by the time he had finished he was openly sobbing.

Pulling the boy more firmly into her lap, Tifa surrounded him in the fur around her and the three's arms as she comforted him "he's wrong, Denzel, it's no one's fault but his own. HE was the one who decided to have an affair behind my back, HE was the one who broke us up. HE was the reason he was thrown out. You forgot your books, it wasn't your fault, I would have found out sooner rather than later."

Kadaj spoke out "you ARE special, Den, not just to Tifa, but us too, you're like a little brother to us."

Loz went on "of course you are. How many other people faced a Hell Hound like you did, and a kid to boot? Even the adults were running and hiding, but you didn't. You were incredibly brave."

"Really?" he looked up at the two males, one after the other. They both nodded solemnly. "I'm not a burden to you?" to this they shook their heads and Kadaj smiled "you're my playmate as well as my brother. Loz and Yazoo are too old to play games with me. I'm glad you came with me, Den."

Denzel smiled back tearily as he moved from Tifa's arms to climb in the youngest arms and lap, hugging him around the neck with a murmur of "I'm glad I came too."

Then he turned and sat in the teen's lap, one hand laced in hers while the others fiddled with the youngest's fingers in some sort of game she couldn't figure out, because both males smiled and every now and then Denzel would grin in triumph or huff in disappointment.

"Why DID you come with him, Denzel? Don't you recognize him?"

"Yeah but he said he'd bring me to you, and he did. Besides, he's different now and what he did wasn't his fault."

"What do you mean?"

"He was being controlled by that crazy lady, just like I was. I could hear her voice in my head. He told me the truth when he brought me here and I believe him. Besides, he even looks different."

This never occurred to Tifa, That all the time the three were running around hurting people while looking for 'Mother' they were actually being controlled by 'her'. Denzel had been under their control, and he had only inherited some Jenovah cells from his father. The three were fragments of Sephiroth, someone who had been injected with the cells since the moment of his conception, that would make him almost pure Jenovah when he was born-then Hojo had kept injecting him even after that. That would have made the three so rife with the mad cetra's genetics and DNA it was no wonder they went the way they did.

Denzel was right, they were no longer who they once were. Jenovah, the REAL Jenovah, after merging with the lifestream, had cleansed them and sent them back to have the life they SHOULD have had, the one Sephiroth might had had if it wasn't for the actions of that bastard Hojo.

She frowned at the boy "where's Marelene?"

"Her dad came and picked her up. He's reason Cloud was only able to hit me the once. He told me to tell you to take your time until you feel better, he's gonna spend some 'quality time' with Marelene. He said he'll 'take care' of Cloud for us."

"What do you mean?"

"When Cloud turned up after you left, I had Marelene hide in the office. While he was yelling at me I didn't know Marelene was calling her dad, telling him what happened and that she was scared of him and that he'd hurt me trying to protect her. Barrett dropped everything and came running.

He arrived just as Cloud hit me.

The next think I know, Barrett is bashing the crap out of him, calling him names and telling him if he ever laid a hand on me or scared Marelene ever again, he'd 'cave his face in so bad he'd be breathing through a god damned tube for the rest of his life'."

Denzel grinned at this "Cloud must have been scared, he didn't have his sword with him, 'cause he just got up and ran."

"What did Barrett do then?"

"He gently picked me up and sat me in a chair, then asked where Marelene was. I told him and he ruffled my hair and told me I was 'braver then some bastards out there' then thanked me for protecting her and went to get her. When Marelene saw my face she went all motherly and wanted to help me. I persuaded her to go with her dad though but they didn't want to.

That's when Kada turned up and said he'd take me to you."

Tifa frowned and looked at him "and Barrett didn't recognize you?"

He shook his head but Denzel spoke "he didn't. When Kada told Barrett everything, including how he and his brothers loved you and were helping you recover from what Cloud did to you, Barrett grinned widely and said 'tell our girl to take her time recovering and enjoy herself. Marelene can stay with me a while, we need some quality time together to catch up. I'll make sure she goes to class still and care for her.' He then went downstairs for a few minutes, then came back up, said goodbye and left with Marelene."

"What did he do downstairs?"

Denzel grinned "he left a note to the window of the barroom door. It said 'This bar is closed for a while you drunk bastards. Tifa is recovering from a broken heart. If you see Cloud Stryfe around, kick that lying, cheating, child abusing prick in the nuts for me, Barrett.'

Tifa groaned and buried her head in her hands with a moan of "typical Barrett. Now the whole town will know."

"But it also means people will know the truth" Loz pointed out, holding her close and tighter, the other two males joining him "he will no longer be treated as the hero he thinks he is, he may even lose business because of it. He may at one point in his past deserved all that attention, but it's gone to his head. He thinks he's above everyone else now, we could feel it starting even mad as we were. Why else do you think he was isolating himself from you all? It wasn't guilt or pain, he simply felt he was TO GOOD to be around lower class citizens like yourself."

"Like US" Kadaj added "it was also why he didn't join us."

"If more people knew about his actions, they would treat him like the scum he really is. If they did it would probably bring him down a couple of notches" a sudden evil grin spread across his face and Loz's face went vacant for a few long seconds before he came back with a 'shit-eating' grin echoed by his younger brother.

"What? What did you do?"

"The three of us share a connection in our minds through our shared genetics" Kadaj explained "we can talk to each other or call each other."

"Yazoo works in a posh restaurant. He has a LOT of people reliant on him as well as A LOT of people who have come to like him as a friend and trust him and in him. Even the Shinra heir. If he was to be depressed and complain to his friends and fellow employees about the way the woman he loves was treated... well, let's just say by the end of the day not a single person in Midgar will see him as a hero anymore."

"And by the end of the week only the most isolated person or village will not know. Everywhere he goes, he will be seen as what he is or did, I would doubt even Godo Kusuragi doesn't find out."

Loz grinned at them "do you think Godo is going to let him stay after finding out what he did? Do you think he'll trust him with his only daughter? Do you think as a lord he'll let the one man hated by everyone on the planet to shelter on HIS land? Even if Yuffie stays by his side, he'll get rid of him, and no one else will let him in their village or home anymore or risk ridicule. He's lowered to the lowest life on the planet, worse than monsters, worse than Sephiroth."

"And when Zack and Aeris' souls next see him, they'll treat him the same" Kadaj said "because he deserves it."

"Yeah" Denzel nodded, face serious as he looked in her face solemnly "'cause he knew what he was doing and he did it anyway, he didn't care if he hurt you. Really he WANTED to hurt you."

Tifa wanted to protest that maybe she DID do something to deserve it, but looking in the boy's face she stopped those words. Denzel didn't deserve what Cloud did to HIM, but he did it anyway.

"Did you put anything on it?" Tifa asked.

"Yeah. After Barrett left with Marelene Kada took me to see Yaz at work. His friends and boss were so mad at Cloud and what he did they chucked him out and some of his friends sat me down and persuaded me to put some ice on it for a while." He grinned widely "they gave me this BIG meal and insisted I sit down and eat it in the kitchen so they could protect me if he came back."

Tifa was alarmed "Cloud was THERE!"

"He was in the dining area with Rufus Shinra." Kadaj said "probably trying a little damage control."

"We didn't know until Denzel wandered away, saw him and came back scared out his wits. He came and hid behind me, probably thought since we beat him in the forbidden forest we could beat him again if he touched him" he looked at the boy "of course we would, but we didn't need too."

"Why?" Tifa frowned.

"The head chef saw this and went out and told the heir he was always welcome but if he associated with 'child abusing scum' like him he would refuse to serve him, so would his other workers. Rufus Shinra seemed confused, he obviously hadn't heard yet so after Cloud was thrown out the head chef brought him back to talk to Den." An huge grin grew on Kadaj's face "afterwards he expressed a disgust in Cloud and said that from then on he wasn't going to 'sully himself' with associating with such a person. I got the feeling he liked Denzel and really respected you. He said he personally knew and understood what had happened with the power going to Clouds head, but he NEVER hit a child or had someone else do it or would have done to them what he did to you."

Kadaj seemed to suddenly remember something and pulled Denzel into his arms, starting to move away with him "come Den."

"Where are you going?" for just a minute Tifa was afraid he was taking him away from him.

"Den wanted to check on you as soon as he came home. He hasn't done his homework yet."

When Tifa looked at him the boy nodded, looking ashamed. Tifa reached out and stroked his cheek in comfort "you were just worried about me, I understand" she smiled and pat him on the butt "now go, don't neglect them again."

Denzel grinned, dropped out of Kadaj's arms and ran after the youngest. Tifa was surprised to be able to hear their muffled voices next door.

Content she would hear him if something happened, she snuggled back into the eldest arms and just wavered between awake and a light doze.

That was until the eldest spoke softly "are you alright?"

"Humm" she moaned sleepily "what do you mean?"

"You slept for a long time after we... you know. We didn't hurt you did we?"

Tifa laughed sleepily at his concern "I'm fine, you just exhausted me. Three healthy males and all their sexual needs can prove too much for one woman sometimes. As long as we don't do that together too often we should be fine."

"What do you mean?" she heard his frown and laughed again, typical male, worried about not being allowed to have sex at all "I don't mean only having sex occasionally, I mean having it together all four of us. We could have sex between two people regularly, take it in turns, but only between the entire four occasionally, like once a week or month."

"Oh" he sounded vastly relieved.


	3. Chapter 3

Tifa's giggle was cut off when his mouth descended to hers in a long drugging kiss.

Her breath caught as his kiss deepened and one hand snaked under the fur to touch her flesh while the other cupped the back of her head.

The hand under the fur stroked her, making her breath speed up in desire, the other now moving gently through her hair.

When his hands moved to guide her down to lay out on the bed, opening her covering so his mouth could move to her body, she had to struggle not to moan loudly at the pleasure of the way his mouth could masterfully swallow one of her entire breasts and his teeth and tongue could tease just the right areas to have her writhing uncontrollably. When it moved to the next mound she swore she was going to die from the pleasure.

His left hand was stroking her stomach and slowly wondering lower on her body. She knew were he was heading, But was helpless to protest or spur him on.

How was it that these three knew exactly how to arouse and pleasure her? How could they know all her spots-even one SHE hadn't known about? Cloud had never been this good, instead choosing to arouse her only enough to get his own pleasure from her body. She had at the time thought she loved him, so that hadn't upset her as much, but was she wrong? Was that the warning sign that she had purposely ignored? Was he using her even then and she hadn't wanted to see it?

Even that first time with these three males she thought of as once enemies, they had had her writhing in orgasms long before taking their pleasure from her-even then making sure she came with them. They had all asked permission of her before even entering her body.

For the first time Tifa understood. She had been so buried in her pain and grief she had let them use her, deep down something had been wanting to get back at Cloud, to thumb it in his face 'hey, I just slept with your enemy, all three of them, and they were good to, way better than you ever were. They made me peak over and over and over again. YOU only made me do that once or twice and even then usually by accident.'

But the three had been making love to her, showing her how much they cared and wanted her in their lives, but she had used them to get back at Cloud, she was so ashamed.

She was just like Cloud, he had used her cruelly and without thought or care for her feelings and she had done the same thing to the three.

"What's wrong?" the oldest drew back from their kiss, eyes widening in alarm at the sight of the tears in her eyes and face, reaching up to wipe them away "what's wrong?! Did I hurt you?! Should I stop?! Do you want me to leave you alone?!"

"NO!" she said this louder than she intended in her panic, wrapping her arms and legs around his body to keep him with her "don't leave!"

He frowned at her as he continued to thumb the moisture away "what is it then? I must have done something wrong to upset you like this."

"It wasn't you, or anything your brothers did."

The frown deepened into confusion "what is it then? What upset you like this while I was touching you."

She laughed slightly through her tears "one thing you should know about women, they never stop thinking, even during sex."

He smiled back "then I'll just have to try harder, won't I."

She smiled back and nodded, but when his mouth lowered towards her breasts again she quickly caught her breath and caught his head in her hands "wait!"

He frowned at her "what's wrong?"

She pulled him up towards her "I have something to explain first." He came willingly, laying so he was beside her, arms wrapped around her body and pulling her to lay facing him and pressed against his body, chest to chest. In the comfort and safety of his arms, she managed to sob out everything, everything that happened between her and Cloud, the cruel words and actions.

He just held her tighter, kissing her face and tears away, Not talking.

Then she told him everything else "I used you three, I used you to hurt Cloud, just like he hurt me."

"We knew" he said softly to her shock. She looked at him, startled "you KNEW!?"

"We knew. But you needed it, just like we needed to show you how we felt."

"But I used you!"

"We love you."

Tifa paused, blown by the truth of their feelings and actions. They really DID love her. They had let her use them to hurt her ex-lover, the man they thought she loved, just to be with her. She touched his face and leaned in to kiss him. They had given so much to her, for her, with wanting nothing in return other than her to love them and be with them.

She decided then and there to give them a chance to seduce her, to let herself fall in love with them, to give a life with them a chance.

The kiss deepened for a while until he moved away and back down, resuming his actions from before.

This time, accepting his feelings and attention made the pleasure all the more intense.

When he moved back up to kiss her lips again, she took advantage to reach down his body and touch him between the legs, stroking him there, smiling under his lips as he moaned against her mouth and started to move his hips in time with her hand.

She helped him shed his shirt and pants, touching the warm flesh and marvelling at the way the green light of the mako\lifestream threaded through his chest and concentrated around his heart, placing her hand there and feeling the way the mako inside her seemed to call to the mako inside him.

It made her feel connected to the three somehow, safe and wanted, unlike she had with Cloud, and she suddenly realised she WAS connected to them in a way she wasn't to Cloud.

HE had been injected with contaminated man-PROCESSED mako, full of other drugs and such. Essentially nature mutated by humans, unnatural. Tifa had been enhanced by raw mako, pure liquified lifestream, pure earth, pure life. So had the three. They had died the same as Cloud, but rebirthed to be just like her.

Was that the lifestream's way of connecting to her? Did the lifestream return them to her to give her a gift, the right sort of mate?

She had thought she was supposed to be Clouds light, his life, but he had rejected that, instead letting himself drown in his darkness and Tifa now knew Yuffie wouldn't stay long with him. Either she would recognize his darkness for what it was and leave or her father would separate them.

Tifa had felt like her light was crushed by Cloud's actions and that may have been his intent to snuff her love, but now she knew the truth, THEY were hers, her heart lifted in their presence and now knowing the truth her spirit soared. Add to that she had never seen Denzel so happy and content since he was first brought to her.

It seemed this was where they were meant to be.

Smiling happily at him again Tifa allowed him to remove her fur fully and the simple robe she wore underneath, fully revealing her fit and supple body and trimmed mound to his attention.

When he slid inside her finally she was already way past ready and willing.

When her orgasm hit her and he spilt himself inside her, her only sound was a long gasp of pleasure, joy, awe and release, watching the flowers above them sway towards them, as if sharing their love.

The two lay cuddled together on the bed hours later, sweat drying on both their bodies, occasionally sharing a kiss here or there, the oldest stroking her hair with one hand and the other stroking the small of her back.

That was until the eldest moved his arm and accidentally brushed the underside of her breasts. When she moaned in pleasure he grinned and flipped her onto her back again, settling himself between her legs and they started to kiss again and laugh between them.

They were just getting aroused again and ready for another round when a door slammed and they heard Denzel yell out "HEY, YAZ IS HOME!" followed by another male voice with an excited "FOOD! FOOD! FOOD! FOOD!"

Both froze and laughed, their foreheads pressed together and looking into each others eyes.

"I suppose we should go out and join them before they eat everything" Loz smiled gently, trying to look disgruntled when her stomach growled LOUDLY, but ended off laughing at the impatient sound.

"I suppose" she agreed, echoing his laugh.

Reluctantly he climbed off her body and motioned at the open door "you can use the bathroom first." He motioned at the wardrobe "before she left with her dad, Marelene insisted on packing a suitcase of clothes for you. She didn't let Kadaj or Denzel help, insisting that as boys they didn't know what YOU wanted as opposed to what THEY wanted you to wear."

Tifa grinned as she climbed naked out of bed, wagging her hips teasingly at him then scooting out of the way and laughing at him when he tried to grab them and pull her into his lap.

"If you do that we'll never make it out to dinner" she laughed at his pained expression.

It all stopped when she threw the doors wide, catching sight of the things hung up there inside. Sure there was her normal casual clothes and a few things she wore out, but she also found others she had never seen before. Everything from casual clothes to the most beautiful gowns and outfits she had ever seen.

Slinky nighties, intricately designed evening gowns and even individually designed skirts, shirts and pants.

Eyes wide in wonder she turned to him "how...why?"

He blushed in embarrassment "we bought them while we were waiting. Yazoo wouldn't let us purchase anything unless he approved them first, he said we had no taste. We thought..."

"You thought what?"

"We thought when you came to be with us you would want something familiar than your own style, but new to represent your new life. At least that's how Yazoo described it. He even added similar to what we wear."

Tifa nodded as she found it, an outfit similar to her last one, but the same white, blue and brown as them with enough features and differences to show a change from the past. After all, HER BOYS loved who she was, not just had been.

Tifa blinked and smiled, Her Boys, she liked that.

She had worn three major outfits in her life, each signifying a change or stage in her life. First-the Cowgirl outfit in her early teens, representing her youth and naivety, a time she thought she knew all and could do everything she wanted too, that was until Sephiroth showed her she couldn't, that she wasn't as good as she thought she was.

Second her white tank-top, shorts and suspenders, but as she matured she became uncomfortable with the constant attention on her developing chest area.

Third had been a mistake. The black outfit had been a show of solidarity with Cloud, modelled off his own and adjusted to HER tastes.

She wondered now if Cloud thought it was her hero-worshipping him and it contributed to his growing ego.

While she wasn't quiet ready to wear their colours yet, she was glad it was there for when she was, it was a promise for the future, a sign they fully intended for her to stay with them.

She continued to go through the clothes, looking for something to wear out to dinner, but not flash or too plain. She was about to give up when something right up the back caught her eye.

Reaching back she pulled it out with trembling hands. "By all the gods" she breathed in awe and surprise.

"Like it?" he asked shyly.

She spun to look at him, outfit clutched close to her "did YOU choose this?"

"Yes, but it was the only thing all three of us agreed on" he smiled "do you like it?"

She clutched it closer, almost protectively "I love it, I love it more than any other thing I've worn or seen in my life."

He laughed at this "you haven't even tried it on yet! It could be the most scratchy and uncomfortable thing you've ever worn!"

But she was determined as she grabbed some undergarments from the chest of draws beside the wardrobe "couldn't be worse than some of the things I HAVE worn. If I can get used to an skimpy cowgirl outfit barely in my teens and a tank top and shorts in my late teens..."

Something sparked in his eyes, interest and arousal "a COWGIRL OUTFIT?"

Tifa grinned widely, "oh, so THAT excites you, huh? Guess you didn't pick up that memory from Sephiroth huh? Oh well, too bad" when he gave a low growl at her, one part mocking anger and the other part arousal she giggled like a school girl and skipped off to the bathroom, slamming and locking the door behind her in his face and laughing at him when he pretended to be locked out and want in.

It occurred to her as she put the clothes down, found the necessary items, and began to run the shower that she and Cloud had never done this, just played like this before or even after sex. She had never felt comfortable enough in her sexuality to flaunt it and he had always been so serious.

Another thing the three had given her, comfort and confidence in both who she was and the way they saw her and felt, it was a relaxed atmosphere, like a real family.

As she glanced at the outfit she smiled, that was a good thing.

After dealing with all her usual routines to do with shaving, washing, shampoo and conditioning, deodorizing and brushing her teeth and hair she dressed in her undergarments and slowly picked up the outfit, awed all over again.

She remembered when she had first seen it in a shop window months ago. As an inhabitant of Sector Seven and the Lower Slums she had learnt not to wish for things she could never have, but that day, passing the shop window on the upper plate, she had learned to desire material things, had let herself yearn something she could never have.

But how did her boys know to choose this one? Did Denzel tell them when she was asleep, or was it coincidence?

Or did they SEE her staring longingly at it.

That was the thing, wasn't it. She didn't know how long they had been watching her. The incident with them had been a little more than a year ago, six months since DeepGround. Could it have been nearly that long since they were brought back? They would have needed time to built this home with all the amenities and get it furnished and settle in, figure out what they were doing and why, find her and start watching her, get a job and get established there, start building up their Gil stores, buy clothes and other things they thought she'd like and so on.

Things like that took long enough on their own but together...Tifa estimated they would have had to returned not long after they apparently died for that. Meaning they probably DID see her with the outfit.

Loz had said HE chose the outfit and his brother's agreed. That must have meant he was watching her that day. She could imagine him watching her stare longingly at it, she could imagine him wanting to buy her the thing despite the high price-tag, arguing with his brother's over WHY, convincing them that SHE had actually chosen it, not him.

Made from Bandersnatch skin it was specially treated to be as tough and durable as leather and as protective as armor, yet as soft and beautiful as silk. Usually used for the dresses and coats of rich privileged women wanting protection from their rich husband's enemies, it was slowly making it's way down to the middle class due to increase in demand.

The color was green, not too dark to be mistaken for another yet not too light to be ugly it had reminded Tifa of her own eyes after her exposure to the raw mako.

Now it reminded her of her three boys, it was the exact shade of their Mako\Jenovah visible veins.

It consisted of a short skirt, mid calf length and hugged her like a second skin as she put it on, but bore a slit on the left hand side so when she walked it would reveal peeks of the entire length-like a tantalizing show of what was usually hidden.

She smiled, it would drive her boys wild with knowing what was within.

The skirt also bore silver threadwork around the bottom and along the slit in the side, as if to draw attention to it even more than before.

There was also a blouse and short jacket.

The blouse was simple but elegant with silver thread around the bottom and top to match the skirt, the center of the top dipping down teasingly to a point just shy off the center of her breasts, allowing her cleavage to be emphasized, but also hidden.

Lastly the small jacket was put over the blouse, the thin sleeves stopping just before her elbows and the sides just big enough to hide the spaghetti straps on the top and her shoulders, under her arms and stopped just below her shoulder blades.

Around her waist she wore a belt made of gold and silver links which was strong enough to double as a weapon if needed.

After pulling it all on she brushed her hair around her face and moved to the door, ready to leave after hanging out the towel.

She grinned when she saw the expression on his face, he was practically drooling. When she wagged her hips at him walking in he nearly pushed her out of the way rushing into the bathroom and slamming the door closed behind him.

Tifa snickered at him, then wondered were her shoes were. "Under the bed, right side, in the draw!" he yelled back, voice a little desperate and tense.

Tifa outright laughed at him then yelped as something zipped out of the opened draw, flying into the air and seemed to disappear into the flowers and leaves on the roof.

She started swearing out loud and trying to track whatever it was, but it had disappeared.

"Tifa?" Kadaj's voice was at the door "what's wrong?"

"Something's in here" she said, trying to find the thing in the flowers. Knowing Kadaj probably knew Loz was in the shower she continued "stay there."

However, as if to defy her, the door opened and both of her boys stood there, Denzel by her side. They pushed Denzel back into the hallway and stepped inside, closing the door behind them, body tense and scanning the room. They moved to her side, flanking her "what was it and where did you see it last?"

"There" she pointed to the flowers "but I don't know what it was, it was too fast."

"Where did it come from?"

"It was inside the draw when I opened it. I don't know what it was doing there or how long it was there."

Kadaj and Yazoo relaxed "if Loz didn't sense it, it's not a threat. He can feel through the ground and plants around us. If it was a threat he either wouldn't have left you alone or got rid of it immediately."

Tifa was slower to relax, but did so "then what was it?"

"Look" Yazoo pointed to something poking out from between two flowers. A tiny feathered wing, like a birds.

Kadaj also relaxed "it's just Alyya. I had wondered where she had wondered off to."

"She must have been sleeping in the draw until Tifa opened it and woke her" Yazoo said "she DOES like hiding in tight spaces."

Kadaj nodded.

Tifa looked at them sternly, "WHO and WHAT is this...Alyya?!"

"She was created the very moment Mother Gaia and Mother Jenovah became one" Kadaj explained "a new form of life. When we were sent back Mother sent her with us" he blushed and mumbled something.

"What did you say?"

"She is yours, Mother's wedding present. She said she is your guardian and guide. 'When the time comes you'll know what to do with her', that's what she told us to tell you."

Yazoo moved to open the door and let Denzel in, explaining as he did "it's just Alyya. She was sleeping under the bed and Loz didn't tell Tifa. She startled her and was startled back and now she's hiding" he pointed to the wing "see her?"

Denzel nodded and called out to the thing. All that happened was the wing was pulled inside, completely hiding 'her' from them.

Denzel continued to call out and Tifa was surprised by how gentle and soothing he sounded to it. This was a side she had never thought she'd see, the caring protective boy growing into a strong caring young man.

Slowly the petals moved and a face peeked out at them, looking all four over critically.

Tifa gasped at what she saw. What she saw was her own face, her own features with her boys skin, but GREEN hair.

The same green as the lifestream-or more accurately-mako.

More of the shape eased out of the covering, shocking Tifa more. HER face, HER body shape! It even wore tiny denim shorts and an white tank top!

It had HER body and face but the coloring and veins of her boys. If it...SHE had been created the moment that Jenovah's soul and the lifestream merged, she must have been some sort of template for the three. Tifa could see the tiny veins around the glowing center of her heart even through the tank-top.


	4. Chapter 4

Before she or anyone else could speak there started a loud trilling from the bedside table, Tifa recognizing the tune as her mobile.

Snatching it up and opening Tifa rolled her eyes and sighed when she saw the number.

Answering she spoke "what is it, Cid?"

She instantly had to hold it away from her ear at the loud swearing and cursing that graced her ear from her loud-mouthed friend and fellow AVALANCHE member.

After giving him a couple of long seconds in which Yazoo and Kadaj nodded to her and left her alone, guiding Denzel with them, Tifa put the mobile back to her ear and said "calm down, Cid, I'm fine, I'm with friends, they're taking care of me."

"What is going on, Tif?!" he yelled "Cloud is telling everyone you were taken away from him and brainwashed into thinking he was having an affair and have taken the kids with you, but a rumor just reached us that he WAS and that he was abusing the kids-that's why you left. WHAT IS GOING ON?!"

She sighed as she sat down on the end of the bed "it's a long story I'd rather not relive. Have you spoke to Barrett yet?"

Sensing her pain and the tremble in her voice, Cid calmed "yeah. He told me some story about Cloud bullying Denz and scaring Mar out of her wits over some secret the kid told you that got him kicked out. Is it true?"

Despite being loud and crude, Cid had a soft spot for kids, especially the ones who lived with her. In fact the two had taken to calling him 'Uncle Cid' and he always brought them candy when he visited that he slipped them when he thought she wasn't looking.

Of course she knew, but she let them keep their little 'secret', it was harmless.

"He was doing more than bullying, Cid. He was calling him names then he hit him" she repeated what Denzel said and then described the bruise "if Barrett hadn't turned up because of Marelene, he probably would have done more" she trembled, her voice wavering in fear "I wasn't there to protect him. Thank gods for Barrett and Kada."

"Barrett told me about this guy, that he was familiar, who is he?"

Tifa took a deep breath, determined not to lie "Kada, Kadaj. He USED TO BE one of the three Remnants."

A breath of silence, then...

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH HIM, TIFA! WHY WOULD YOU LET HIM AROUND DENZEL, AGAIN!"

"I said USED TO BE, Cid. The lifestream sent them back for a second chance" followed by a half lie "the healing rain cleansed them of Jenovah and the lifestream replaced the mad woman with herself. They aren't remnants of Sephiroth and Jenovah anymore, they are Gaia's children now" She sighed again "you know that the lifestream has a habit of sending people back for a second chance, Rufus, Cloud, Vincent to name a few. Are you really going to question Gaia's decision?"

Cid grumbled but in the end he didn't argue. Instead he said "tell me everything."

So she did, everything, even the painful bits, soon ending up curled in the middle of the bed, silent tears running down her face and fingers running through feathers in an attempt to sooth herself.

Alyya lay in the center of her ball, curled against her chest and heart, letting out a soft purring-like noise as she obviously tried to sooth her, having come down to her side somewhere early on when her tears were too thick to see.

The small feathered presence soothed Tifa in ways she couldn't imagine, just her head on her chest made her feel as though the entire lifestream was weeping for and with her.

The fact that a small life like this-previously afraid of her-was trying to comfort her in her pain made her feel wanted and needed, more than that, loved.

Once she was done there was silence for long minutes as the blonde tried to process everything.

Cid had always been a close friend to Tifa, for all his bluff and bluster he was a dedicated friend to her and always one she trusted more than any other-except perhaps Vincent and Barrett.

He believed her and in her and Tifa had no doubt he would accept her word for it and even though he may not trust the three, he would trust her to know if she could trust them or not.

Finally she heard him breathe in then say softly "and you believe them?"

"I do" she said.

"And they've been treating you like you deserve?"

"Yes" she smiled.

"Good" he sounded satisfied "I'll get hold of the other guys and tell them what's going on."

"Thanks Cid. Try to get hold of Godo if you can, tell him what's going on. If Cloud can hit Denzel without guilt he may do worse to Yuffie if she denies him or tries to leave."

"You got it and take care of yourself girl." They said their goodbyes and she hung up. She smiled down at creature curled against her chest, stroking her hair as she snoozed.

"You're not so bad, are you. Well I've got to get up and join the others. I need to eat."

As she moved to rise the small creature-the size of her fist-opened one eye and then the other and looked at her silently. When Tifa was sitting up straight it fluttered her one wing and alighted on her right shoulder, holding on while she rose and started out of the room.

She found herself in a decent sized hallway, six doors on one side, six the other and the hall leading off to her left.

The door on her right, right against the wall, she knew was the bathroom, obviously where Loz had exited because it stood open and empty.

The door to the bathroom was differently designed than the door she had left, but the same as three doors on each side, the other three doors either side the same as hers, so logically that meant the ones same as the bathroom meant five other bathrooms, probably for the five other bedrooms.

That meant Denzel's, Kadaj, Yazoo and if the room she just left was hers-Loz's. But whose was the sixth, or was it just a spare?

She doubted Alyya had a room like the others, too big and Yazoo HAD said she liked tight spaces.

She probably had her own little 'nest' somewhere in the house, but like a feline liked to find unusual areas around the house to snooze in.

Like the shoe draw under her bed.

Alyya fluttered her wing and rose off her shoulder, flying a way down the left of the hall and then pausing, turning to look at her as if to say "well, what are you waiting for?"

Tifa smiled and followed the creatures flight.

A few seconds later they exited under a large stone archway to a type of lounge room. It was a huge open space, the front door across from her. On the direct right was a large stone fireplace, big enough to heat the entire house, another stone arch on it's opposite and Tifa could hear talking from there, all four of her boys.

Around the fireplace and in the room, all facing the fire pit, was three comfortable looking sofa's, a four seater directly opposite with two two seaters on either side. There was a coffee table in between them, a plush looking rug on the floor and a widescreen TV hanging from the top, just above the open area.

It looked like on cold or snowy nights you could sit on the couch with the fire going and just watch TV.

Against the wall near the door was a huge bookshelf with two comfortable chairs, a warmly lit lamp on the small table between them.

Alyya chattered and flew ahead of her, around the fireplace into the other arch where the voices came from. There came sounds of surprise and Kadaj reporting "she says Tifa is coming."

"Good" Loz said "now we can eat" and the sound of cutlery and plates being moved around.

"You didn't have to wait for me" Tifa said as she rounded the corner though the archway and into the kitchen.

The kitchen was homey and the room was neat and clean, except the food-laiden table in the middle of the room.

Big enough to sit eight it was round and took up the center of the room, Denzel already seated while Yazoo filled the plates, handing them to Kadaj and Loz who decided whose went where.

It all smelt utterly delicious and Tifa's stomach growled again.

The four smiled at her and Kadaj moved around the table to take her into his arms for a brief hug and kiss before leading her to the table and firmly guiding her to sit, between himself and an empty chair.

Tifa smiled shyly at him and did so. It was one thing to do what they did that day together, but that had been during a moment of grief, pain and anger, it was another to know she was supposed to share her life and her body with three different men.

It had been easier with Loz, he had been there when she woke and had shared her revelations with him, but his brothers as well?

Before sitting down Kadaj leaned over, whispering in her ear in a seductive purr "I can smell him inside you" before sitting and looking like nothing was wrong.

Tifa couldn't keep the bright blush from her face.

Yazoo smiled almost shyly at her as he placed a plate in front of her, his smile a shyer version of 'me too'.

Once everyone had a drink in front of them (Denzel with fruit juice, Kadaj and Yazoo with soft drink, Loz and Tifa with a glass of wine), Tifa waited until the middle one was seated on her other side before she sat forward and picked her cutlery up to begin.

Upon the first taste her mouth watered and had a simultaneous orgasm. Loz was right, he cooked like she had never tasted before! The meat was succulent and the spices made it burst with flavor, the gravy smooth and rich and the vegetables enhanced by herbs so their flavor stood out.

No wonder everyone wanted him to work for them and Rufus Shinra was willing to waive any business with Cloud!

She turned awed eyes to look at him "you made this, Yazoo?" When the middle brother nodded shyly Tifa went on "it's amazing, incredible, if you cook all the meals here I might end up staying just for this."

The long haired middle brother blushed and hid his face in his hair as only someone who had it all his life knew how to do, mumbling shyly.

Tifa looked at him curiously "surely other people, like your fellow employees and peers complement your cooking?"

He nodded "but it's different when it's someone you love or care about. It means more."

Tifa understood and asked curiously "do you cook every night?"

He shrugged "usually whenever I work late or of an afternoon. Sometimes I cook when I have the day off, but Loz cooks too. He's actually pretty good at it."

Tifa looked at the eldest who nodded "Yazoo has been teaching me, but I'm not as good as he is though."

Denzel piped up with "Loz makes great cheesy toast, Tifa, you should try it one day!"

"I'm sure I will" Tifa smiled at the boy before looking at Kadaj "what about you? Can you cook?"

For some reason the other three males all choked on their food and once Denzel had recovered he almost fell out of his chair laughing.

"What?" she looked from one male to the other, confused.

"Guys I'm not THAT bad" Kadaj whined. "Yes you are!" Denzel laughed "You burned WATER the other day!"

Tifa choked this time and looked at him incredulously "YOU burnt WATER!? How the hell would you even do that anyway?!"

"Dunno" Denzel grinned, "but he did it."

Tifa smiled, she was learning so much about HER boys. Yazoo was a gourmet cook, Kadaj DEFINITELY was not. Yazoo was painfully shy, Loz was gentle but very protective, like a big friendly giant. Kadaj was childish but outgoing and also openly loving.

Kadaj was good with kids, he knew how to talk to them on their level and even persuade them easily-but that had been evident even under Jenovah's control when he was so easy at convincing street children to go with them, considering how jaded and untrusting those street urchins could be.

She knew that was why he was in such demand with babysitting other people's kids. He could get the kids doing their chores and homework and make it seem they WANTED to do it themselves.

Loz she could see as a carer for the elderly, they would respond to his gentle quiet strength and almost innocence like a beloved grandson, probably dote on him to and the fact he wasn't the type to take advantage of their generosity or senile minds would please not just the families but the people who run the place.

Tifa understood Yazoo's position. He loved to cook and this way he had only to deal with other chefs, not the public, so his shyness wasn't a problem.

She knew the other kitchen staff probably knew about his shyness and encouraged him to be a little more open, a little more friendly, but at the same time protected him, just like she wanted to. Which is why he worked there and nowhere else.

Her eyes went to Denzel.

She had never seen him so happy. Here he had a family, someone to pay attention to him, to play with him, help him with his homework, to make sure he ate, slept, bathed-just generally was there for him and that was all he wanted. While she was busy with the bar and Cloud had been gone for days, weeks or even months at a time with his delivery business, his only attention really was Marlene, not exactly the best influence herself as just a child-so he had no father figure in his life. The guys were hardly around long enough or weren't exactly a good influence either-except maybe Nanaki.

Here he had three fathers and three brother's in one, as well as someone he saw as a surrogate mother, he was over the moon! She reached a decision, maybe she should stay for a while. She swallowed her mouthful and spoke out "we need to go back tomorrow."

They all looked at her, Denzel looking disappointed so she explained "Den has books and clothes and other things he might want to get, so will I and I need to see Elsa, see if she thinks she's ready for the responsibility of running the bar yet. I'll also clean out anything left in Clouds old room so she has a place to stay."

Denzel couldn't possibly look any happier but he managed it, dropping his utensils to move around and throw his arms around her with a cry of "Thank you Tifa!"

Tifa smiled at him "that's okay, Den. I realize I haven't exactly been there for you lately, especially with the bar..."

He smiled at her "you were there when it matters, and that's what's important. Besides, you needed the bar to earn gil and you couldn't feed and clothe and let us go to school if you didn't."

Tifa smiled back, glad he realized and accepted it. She then told him to go back to his seat and eat gently. He hugged her one last time in which he whispered "they really love you, you know" in her ear before moving to obey, resuming eating.

Kadaj looked at her "Loz can go with you tomorrow, just in case Cloud is there" when she opened her mouth to protest he added quickly "I know you can take care of yourself, but we want to protect you and Loz has the day off. Besides, he's mako enhanced and we have the blessing of mother Gaia. We are more than an equal for him, in fact we are more. We can protect you, more than that we WANT to protect you."

Tifa looked at him silently for a minute then, seeing purely that in his eyes, decided to give them what they want and nodded. Her reward was a dazzling happy smile and everyone returned to their meals.

Later that night they sat on the couch and watched TV while the fire crackled in the place. Tifa sat in Loz's lap (he insisted on it) in the center with Denzel on one side and Kadaj the other. Yazoo had wrapped himself around her legs like a snake as if afraid of loosing any sort of contact with her.

After they bundled Denzel off to bed Yazoo took his place beside her and they engaged in a three range of kissing while the TV played in the back ground.

Soon the kissing became heavy petting and the three became excited and began touching her more. Sitting sideways in Loz's lap she felt Yazoo stroking her legs, running hands up and down her skin, but never going further than her knees as if seeking permission.

Tifa moved her hand to guide him up past her knees slightly, letting go and moving it back to touch Kadaj and stroke his shoulder in a soothing gesture, Moaning into Loz's mouth as the long haired brother touched her inner thigh and Kadaj slowly reached out to touch her hem line of the bottom of her jacket and shirt. At the same time Yazoo touched her skirt.


End file.
